I survive in the weird Liaozhai

Taking a deep breath to suppress the distracting thoughts in his mind, Gu Nian'an spoke slowly.

"Madam, please stand up. I just lost my composure. I am not here to provoke you, nor do I want to be an enemy of the Wang family. I am investigating a case that contains some clues about your son, so I came to discuss it."

After Gu Nian'an finished speaking, the woman kneeling on the ground slowly raised her head and looked at him with tears in her eyes.

It was Wang Shouye, who had just been a little furious, who reacted first and stepped forward to help the woman up.

After helping the woman up, Wang Shouye and Gu Nian'an's eyes met for a moment, then they looked away awkwardly.

Wang Shouye: I was so angry just now. Looking at the other person's previous abilities, there was no need for him to kidnap. Wouldn't it be more convenient to just rob him at his home? Why bother with this?

Gu Nian’an: It was a close call. If he hadn’t been touched for a moment by the woman’s pleading, he would have probably started killing people right now.

Cough, cough, Wang Shouye coughed twice and then let go of the woman's hand. Then he walked slowly to Gu Nian'an, clasped his fists and bowed.

"Master, I was rude just now. Please forgive me."

Cough, cough. Gu Nian'an also felt a little embarrassed.

"Master Wang, I was a little impulsive just now. Please don't be offended, Master Wang."

"Master, that's not right. You came to me and offered to help me, but I treated you like this. I was the one who was disrespectful first. Please don't take it as an offense. Master, this is not the place to talk. Why don't you please move to the inner hall with me to discuss in detail?"

Gu Nian'an had no objection to this.

So, led by Wang Shouye, a group of four people walked towards the inner courtyard of the palace.

As for the guards who were still intact, they looked at each other, all of them a little confused for a moment.

What the hell is going on? It has come to this point, and you say we should make peace, but we are... What should we do?

Only after hearing the wailing of their companions on the ground did they come to their senses and quickly stepped forward to help their injured companions.

At the same time, he couldn't help but secretly feel lucky that he had rushed a little slowly, otherwise he would have to lie on the ground wailing now.

Led by Wang Shouye, the four of them quickly came to the inner hall. They sat down one by one. After the servants had served tea, Wang Shouye asked

"Master, what you said outside the door before is what you meant."

Gu Nian'an did not answer immediately. Instead, he turned his gaze towards the woman who was sitting next to Wang Shouye and crying silently.

Wang Shouye reacted instantly, and when he was about to let his wife go downstairs to rest.

But the woman spoke first, her voice choking with sobs.

"Master, I am Chong'er's mother. Please have mercy on me. If you have any news about Chong'er, please tell me."

“This…～～”

Gu Nian'an was a little embarrassed for a moment. Her son had been missing for more than two months and his chances of survival were slim.

Moreover, there is a possibility that the ghost baby is involved, so the chance of her son's survival is almost zero.

But it’s not easy to say this directly. You can’t tell others in front of them that your son was killed by a ghost baby.

He was afraid the woman would go crazy if he said that.

Alas! Wang Shouye sighed

"Master, if you have anything to say, just say it directly. Qiu Niang is Chong'er's mother. She has the right to know Chong'er's current situation."

Well, they have already made their own decision, so he should just be a little more tactful in his words.

"Master Wang, I will tell you the truth. I have been investigating a case concerning a missing child.

I wonder if Patriarch Wang knows that there may be a hundred or more children under the age of ten missing in Anyang City in the past three months."

Wang Shouye was shocked when he heard this. He had been worried about Chong'er's disappearance recently. At the same time, he had to take care of Qiu Niang, and he couldn't put down his business matters.

So he really didn't have time to look into the affairs of Anyang City, but how could so many children go missing?

"Master, are you sure?"

“If Patriarch Wang doesn’t believe it, you can send someone to investigate.

Yesterday, my companions only conducted a simple investigation of a corner of Qingshui Lane.

It was discovered that 31 children had gone missing in the past three months, with no one found, alive or dead, and their disappearances were inexplicable. So far, not a single one has been found.”

“This…～～”

Wang Shouye stood up somewhat awkwardly.

"Master, do you know who did this and why so many children were kidnapped?"

"What I am about to say may be a little unbelievable, I hope Patriarch Wang will not be offended."

Since I'm here to find an ally, there's no need to hide the matter of the ghost baby. Just tell me the truth.

"Master, if you have something to say, I am all ears."

"I wonder if Patriarch Wang believes in ghosts and gods."

“This…～～

The Taoist priest means "

Could this matter involve ghosts and gods? The Wang family is a large family with assets spread throughout Qingzhou.

Wang Shouye has been the head of the family for more than twenty years, so he knows many things that ordinary people cannot access.

"Ghosts and gods" Yes, Wang Shouye knew that ghosts and gods existed in this world.

"I am tracking a monster called 'Ghost Baby'. This monster has a special liking for children under ten years old, so Master Wang, do you understand what I mean?"

Considering that the child's biological mother was present, he decided to mention it in a slightly vague way.

Upon hearing this, Wang Shouye was stunned for a moment, tears welling up in his eyes.

He understood that mortals have no ability to resist ghosts.

He had heard of the cruelty of ghosts and monsters, and he could guess Chong'er's fate.

Wang Shouye has more than one son, but having a son in his old age and Chong'er being smart and clever is the hope for the Wang family's future.

But why, why did it have to be that child?

But how could it be possible, how could it be possible for him to encounter this.

Wang Shouye sat slumped in the armchair with tears in his eyes, unable to speak for a long time.

The woman sitting next to him heard what Gu Nian'an said and saw her husband's expression at that moment and she instantly understood something.

In an instant, her eyes became hollow and tears could not stop falling.

She, Su Mengyu, was born in a brothel, and it was her luck to marry into the Wang family as a concubine in this life.

It is even more fortunate to meet a husband who loves you.

It is a great fortune to have a well-behaved and sensible child like Chong'er.

But why, but why.

Su Mengyu has never done anything wrong. She can die, even if she is forced to return to the brothel again.

But Chong'er is innocent, Chong'er is innocent.

Her son's figure gradually appeared in front of her, and she stood up and wanted to hold Chong'er's hand again.

But Su Mengyu suddenly felt her body go a little soft, and the figure in front of her was gradually moving away from her, getting farther and farther away.

"Boom"

A slight sound attracted the attention of the three people, and they saw that Su Mengyu had fallen softly to the ground.

Seeing this, Gu Nian'an hurried forward to check. He only breathed a sigh of relief after taking the woman's pulse and checking it for a while.

Is this because of excessive grief that has hurt one's mind? It's not a big problem, as long as you take more care of yourself later.

But…～～

Alas! He was a little unsure if this beautiful woman in front of him still had the courage to survive?

Seeing Qiu Niang collapse to the ground, Wang Shouye hurriedly stood up from the armchair.

Seeing that the Taoist priest was taking his wife's pulse, he could only squat aside and wait anxiously for the result.

Looking at Qiu Niang's beautiful yet pale face, Wang Shouye's hands trembled slightly.

Although Qiu Niang came from a brothel, she was gentle and sensible. Over the years, she had managed the inner courtyard of the palace in great order, which really helped him a lot.

The two of them have treated each other with respect for more than ten years, and he likes Qiu Niang from the bottom of his heart.

Qiu Niang was in poor health, and it was with great difficulty that she finally had Chong'er a few years ago. After having Chong'er, Qiu Niang's health improved a lot, and she smiled more often.

Chong'er is Qiu Niang's favorite, and she values ​​Chong'er a thousand times more than her own life.

But now Chong'er is gone, and he knows that Qiu Niang absolutely does not have the courage to live anymore.

As he watched, two lines of tears slid down his somewhat old face.

Wang Shouye has been in the business world for half his life and is already at the age of fifty (over fifty in ancient times). How could he encounter such a tragic thing?

"Master Wang, Master Wang."

Gu Nian'an shouted twice before waking Wang Shouye from his trance.

He raised his head, his eyes still a little dazed, and gradually recovered after a moment.

"Master, Qiu Niang, is Qiu Niang seriously ill?"

Wang Shouye's voice was very hoarse and trembling.

Alas! Gu Nian'an was a little unsure whether it was right or wrong for him to come to Wang's house today.

"Madam is fine, she is just a little upset due to excessive grief, she just needs to take care of herself from now on.

Patriarch Wang, please have your wife taken downstairs to rest."

After hearing what Gu Nian'an said, Wang Shouye's expression eased a little, but his eyes still revealed the unremovable sadness and despair.

At Wang Shouye's order, the woman was quickly sent out of the living room.